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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · staff · toast · fine · prune · nail · bank · scale

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stem — to come from
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bank — for money
  7. toast — bread
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — for money
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. fine — all right
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. staff — employees
  18. fine — high quality
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stem — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com